# Ed Burak, the pipes and the man



## MrRogers (Jun 15, 2009)

Ed Burak ran the Connoisseur Pipe shop in Manhattan for some 40 yrs before closing his doors and retiring in February of 2009. His shop was extraordinary. Nestled in the concourse level of the then Paine Weber building on 6th avenue, his shop was quaint and almost seemed out of place. More about the shop later. 

I started smoking a miniature corncob and Borkum Riff at 16 before graduating to an aldo velani and various aromatics shortly thereafter. One day I ventured into the city from my home in Long Island with a list of smokeshops to visit. On the list was Arnold's Tobacco, Barclay Rex, Nat Sherman, De la Concha and The Connoisseur Pipe Shop. I managed to hit all these spots that day but spent the most time at the CPS. Ed instantly recognized me as a novice and recommended to me an Irish Pot from his seconds line (funds did not allow for one of his premium pieces) and several of his house blend tobaccos. He showed me how to delicately fill the bowl, char and tamp, relight, and "sip" the tobacco properly. 

His premium pipes were like nothing I had seen before. He finished all of his pieces with only wax, no stain. He incorporated blemishes into his designs and made no attempt to hide these flaw with fillers. I frequented the CPS as a high school, college, then grad school student, never really having the funds to purchase his premium pieces. As luck would have it, once I became established in my work/field, the CPS was long gone. I have since been able to pick up several unsmoked pipes from the bay and thought I would post them. The calabash sitter remains unsmoked as I'm not sure ill ever be able to put fire to such an exquisite piece.

Enjoy.


Peter


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## DanR (Nov 27, 2010)

Beautiful pieces Peter. However, based on your description of Ed, I bet he'd want you to smoke that pipe!


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## Zeabed (Apr 23, 2009)

And his blends were also legendary. Park-Lane Tobacconists, also in New York State, have produced several blends inspired by the old Ed Burak originals. Connoisseurs Flake is based on Ed's Scottish Flake (iirc?) and Turkish Delight on Turkish Black. I'm sure there are others.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

That is a beautiful calabash. Man! And a nice remembrance, too! My epiphany was at http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/general-pipe-forum/296637-mincers-pipe-shop.html. I can definitely relate. :biggrin:

Sheesh, Zeabed, how do you come up with this stuff! :lol:


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## keen smoke (Sep 8, 2010)

Very nice, and thanks for sharing the background. Sounds like quite the pipeman, you're lucky to have run into someone like that.


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## MrRogers (Jun 15, 2009)

Zeabed said:


> And his blends were also legendary. Park-Lane Tobacconists, also in New York State, have produced several blends inspired by the old Ed Burak originals. Connoisseurs Flake is based on Ed's Scottish Flake (iirc?) and Turkish Delight on Turkish Black. I'm sure there are others.


Scottish ribbon was legendary. I smoke alot of Connoisseurs and Liebman's flake from PL which is a pretty close approximation. Wasnt aware that Paul cloned his turkish blend also. Toasted cavendish was an other great Burak blend. To bad he didn't continue to sell online or pass his recipes on to another blender.

Peter


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## Zeabed (Apr 23, 2009)

freestoke said:


> That is a beautiful calabash. Man! And a nice remembrance, too! My epiphany was at http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/general-pipe-forum/296637-mincers-pipe-shop.html. I can definitely relate. :biggrin:
> 
> *Sheesh, Zeabed, how do you come up with this stuff!* :lol:


Ain't complicated. I hear things. :ear: And I read things. was told this by several smokers who used to buy those Ed Burak blends and were heartbroken when he closed shop, until Park-Lane came up with its emulations of some of his blends. Park-Lane itself confirmed it to me in phone conversations during my frequent orders. Also, it's in their web page description of Turkish Mystery and Connoisseurs Flake. I understand moreover that one of their blenders had an inside track on the Burak recipes.

Some aficionados consider P-L Liebman's Scottish Flake to be a closer to the original than is Connoisseurs Flake. Connoisseurs Flake is a tip of the hat to EB's Connoisseurs Pipe Shop.


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